DES201-2018, Week01: Level Design by 1702172, Noah
Level Design - Facts This level is going off the basis that the player already knows the controls and general mechanics for the game. Level number: 4 Player motivation Mason finally has a solid lead on the location of the assassin which is apart of the plot to frame her. She found out that the Blacksmiths have a deal with a terrorist group to trade and smuggle weapons for them. And that on the day of the assassination they had listed that “Special Cargo” which, after some interrogation, is found out to be the assassin and is going to be taken on one of the cargo ships called “Freeloader” is on route to Novaya Zemlya, the third planet around the new sun and home to a mining colony. Now Mason has paid to smuggle herself on a transport to take her to Novaya Zemlya and is en-route to find the killer. Hook After finding "Freeloader" floating through space as if abandoned by its crew. Mason Boards the ship in search for the assassin, but finds the ship quiet, dark and destroyed on the inside. Theme Advanced technology, The ship itself seems to be untouched on the outside. But the inside of the ship is damaged with hallways marked with fire and legacy-earth weapons however the ship does also appear to have blaster marks from Pulse cartridge weapons on the inside as well. Backstory Summary The Freeloader is a ship used by the Blacksmith's, a organised gang in the business of constructing, smuggling, and selling Legacy-earth weapons. The ship itself, Legally, is a cargo ship used by the Colonial Mining Corporation which deals in mining near by asteroids or on nearby hazards planets for metals and other resources. It can carry up to 500,000 tons of cargo. With a crew of about 400 people. It is able to carry a massive amount as it is 3 miles long, 1 mile wide, and 1.5 miles tall. Making it one of the companies larger vessels. Freeloader is the nickname given to the ship by the Blacksmith’s as, this is mainly due to the fact that due to their connections within the CMC, the ship is never fully searched upon docking with Gaia II allowing for what is mostly a free entry into Gaia II for any illegal items. After picking up the assassin, the Freeloader set off towards Novaya Zemlya with a full crew of 600 people. A quarter of the way through into their journey they were hailed by a United federal Colonies Military ship, an official ship used by the military of the UFC each one could hold 250 troops max. After some communication with this ship they insisted to board the Freeloader immediately. But upon boarding the people inside the military ship are revealed to not be apart of the UFC military and opened fire on the crew of the Freeloader. Going through floor by floor starting at the top working their way down. The aim of the team is to make their way to the fuel deposits and blow them up destroying the ship in the process. However survivors have barricaded themselves in the engine room where the fuel is held. They had turned off the engines so the boarding party can’t move the ship. These members have been holding out there for six hours before Mason arrives. Other members of the crew are also hiding around the ship. Local Plot line * The player has to find for signs of life. * Locate the Survivors in the engine room. * find the assassin on board the ship. Starting at a docking bay at the middle center on the right side of the ship. They must use stealth to sneak by soldiers or to take them down. It is possible to not be stealthy and open fire on the soldiers however this will be a lot more difficult for the player as they can come from any direction and actively hunt for the player if they attempted to be stealthy again. Unique attributes * With the ship being heavily damaged on the inside some parts of the artificial gravity have failed on some cargo holds. This means areas of the level will be in zero gravity. * Collectible info logs about the Freeloader and its crew throughout the level. * Given the level of uncertainty, The level gives the player the feeling of always being on edge. * Upon finding survivors of the crew you can recruit them as allies and they will follow you until dead. Level Design - Player progression = Story involvement at the beginning Upon boarding, the player is given the objective to find signs of life and is left to wander through the ship, the beginning is very linear as it focuses on building tension within the player. The player discovers a hallway with a door at the end with a red warning light flickering. When player approaches the door and presses a button, a event occurs where the player can see a crew member getting executed by a unseen figure through a crack in the door. From here the level begins to open up offering different ways to traverse through the space and to take down these soldiers. Story Involvement at the end After fighting through/ or sneaking past a lot of soldiers, you enter a room with more soldiers attempting to fight through the barricade created by the crew within the engine room. The player is given the objective to kill these soldiers. After doing so the crew behind the barricade question you about who you are and why you’re here. (If you freed the crew earlier they can vouch for you allowing you to enter with no quarrels. Without them the characters question the player about if they had seen any crew members on their way here. The player can lie and say no or tell the truth. Telling the truth will mean that they won’t let you in but will tell you where the assassin is. However if you lie they will allow you to enter but with their guns trained on you at all times. Possible outcomes of the level * You are happily let in, this outcome gives the player: health, ammo, more amour, and a full map layout of the ship and the assassin’s location. * You are cautiously let in, this outcome give the player: Ammo, assassin’s location * You are not let in, this outcome gives the player: The assassin’s location.